


Fury on the Waves

by deepliketherivers



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Baekhyun with Eyeliner and a Knife, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Naval Officer Chanyeol, Pirate AU, Pirate Captain Baekhyun, Power Bottom Baekhyun, Praise Kink, Submissive Top Chanyeol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-03-15 00:08:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13601364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepliketherivers/pseuds/deepliketherivers
Summary: As a member of the Royal Navy, Chanyeol has sworn to uphold the law, and his mission becomes personal when his long lost friend reappears in his life. Baekhyun has changed in their years apart, and now he is known throughout the ocean as the Bluebird.Chanyeol believes in justice above all else, and Byun Baekhyun has avoided it for too long.Title taken from "The Ocean" by Nathaniel Hawthorne





	1. Spirits of the Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The description for Baekhyun is 100% based on his look for MAMA 2016 if you'd like a visual reference. He looked fine as hell.

White sails and a bright sky greeted Chanyeol when he arrived at the docks. He pushed his shoulders all the way back and strode forward over the wooden planks, puffing his chest out as he felt eyes turning to watch him. His new uniform was stiff around his knees and elbows, creasing each time he took a step.

At the end of the dock was the ship he’d worked on since he was lieutenant: _Thunder_. She cut an imposing shape against the sky, and Chanyeol felt a swell of pride as he digested the fact that she was his now. The badge denoting his rank as captain shone like a new penny on his chest, blindingly bright in the afternoon sun. 

As he stepped into the shadow of his ship, he spotted a familiar figure near the top of the gangplank. 

“Minseok!” He called, throwing his hand up in greeting, “Look!” 

He pointed enthusiastically to the badge, grinning broadly as he approached the older man. Minseok rolled his eyes and returned to his work, coiling one of the heavy ropes attached to the main sail into a neat loop before stowing it on a hook attached to the mast. 

“I was already aware of your promotion, Captain. Congratulations.” 

Chanyeol’s ears flushed, “You don’t have to call me captain.”

“Why not?” Minseok teased, “You’re so proud of your new title, shouldn’t I use it?”

“Everyone else absolutely has to use it.” Chanyeol assured him, “But you’ve been on this ship longer than I have, and technically you should be in my position.”

Minseok shook his head, “You deserve this, Chanyeol, and I didn’t want it. You’ll find that I make an excellent first mate, and I didn’t feel the need to change jobs just as I got good at this one.” He grinned, “I don’t have to be captain to be in charge.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, “I wish you were wrong. Are we on schedule for departure?”

“Sort of.” Minseok replied, “We’re on time, but I need someone to go back to the market and pick up a barrel of salt. The one we had was accidentally dropped into the ocean by an unnamed pair of clumsy hands.”

“ I can go.” Chanyeol volunteered, “I’m sure everybody else is busy.”

Minseok raised an eyebrow, “What’s the point of being promoted if you’re just going to run errands yourself?”

Chanyeol shrugged, “I want to show off my new uniform.” He extended his arm dramatically towards his friend, “Don’t I look dashing?”

“No.” Minseok turned away from him, “Go get some salt.”

Chanyeol stuck his lip out in an exaggerated pout, “Yes, I do. You’re just jealous.”

“Go.” Minseok pushed him away, “Hurry up, or we’ll sail away without you.”

Chanyeol shuffled back down the gangplank, obediently heading away from the docks towards the marketplace. 

The stone streets clicked sharply beneath his boots as he walked, beating out a rhythm as he got closer to his destination, and the crowd around him got denser as he approached the stalls. He weaved his way between the customers ambling from store to store, using his height to keep his eyes on his destination. 

Just before Chanyeol arrived at the spice trader’s stall, his attention was jerked away from his goal by a loud and distinctive laugh behind him. Chanyeol spun around, eyes wide as he looked for the source of the noise. The crowd flowed around him as he stood there, scanning the people for a face that he recognized. He was about to dismiss the familiar laughter as a coincidence when he spotted him. On the fringe of the marketplace, Byun Baekhyun was smiling broadly as he handed over a few coins for an orange, which he tossed playfully into the air as he waved goodbye to the vendor. 

Chanyeol pushed through the people around him, eyes trained on the friend he hadn’t seen in nine years. 

“Baekhyun!” he called out, “Baekhyun! Is that you? Baekhyun!”

The shorter man turned at the sound of his name, mouth dropping open as he recognized Chanyeol. He stood frozen for a moment before he turned tail and sprinted away.

Chanyeol gaped at the reaction. He followed after, yelling as he tried to catch up, “Baekhyun! It’s me, Chanyeol! Wait up!”

Chanyeol pursued him out of the wide-open space surrounding the market and into the narrow streets. After a series of quick turns, he found himself standing helplessly at an intersection, no longer able to see Baekhyun. 

“Baekhyun!” he shouted again, “Come on, I just want to talk! Baekhyun!”

A slender hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked him back down the street, pulling him out of the road and into an alleyway. Baekhyun shoved him up against the brick wall, “Would you shut up?” he hissed, “Stop shouting my name like that.”

Chanyeol was stunned into silence, eyes darting over his friend to take in the dramatic changes that had occurred since they’d last met. At sixteen, Baekhyun had looked like the kind of boy that grandmas would coo at. Now he looked dangerous. His shirt was decorated with silver chains and a black cuff around the arm that held a wicked looking knife. His eyes were heavily lined and his hair hung messily over his forehead. Chanyeol was a little surprised that he’d even recognized him. 

“Are you… Are you in trouble?” he asked in confusion, “Why can’t I say your name?” His eyes widened, “Are you on the run?”

“I have a reputation.” Baekhyun snarled, “That’s all you need to know. Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to go back to the docks and carry about my business. You’re going to wait here for fifteen minutes. After that, you can continue whatever you were doing. You will not try to find me. You will not tell anyone you saw me or spoke to me. Do you understand?”

“I don’t…” Chanyeol stuttered, “I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”

Baekhyun’s grip on his jacket loosened and he stepped back, “It doesn’t matter, Chanyeol. We don’t know each other anymore, and I need you to forget that you ever saw me again. Can you do that?”

“I can help if you’re in trouble.” Chanyeol assured him, “I’m not living at the mansion right now, but I’m sure they could use some extra staff. We all do stupid things when we’re desperate. Whatever you’ve done can be swept under the rug; you know nobody will ask questions if you’re under father’s protection.”

Baekhyun’s gaze hardened, “You’ve misunderstood. I’m not running away from anything. The only thing I’ve ever run away from was that damn house, and I would hang before I ever went back.”

Chanyeol bristled, “What is that supposed to mean? I never heard you complaining when my family kept you fed and clothed with a roof over your head. There’s nothing wrong with earning an honest living.”

A cloud passed over the sun, and Chanyeol shivered as the shadow chilled the air around them. 

Baekhyun’s lip curled and he let go of Chanyeol’s collar with a shove. “It’s been nine years, and you haven’t learned a fucking thing,” he sneered. “Don’t follow me.”

He turned on his heel, leaving Chanyeol to stare after him as he left. Chanyeol slumped against the wall, his heart pounding in his ears. The sun emerged again, the light returning to warm his face. 

Chanyeol peaked his head back out of the alleyway, but Baekhyun was gone. He wandered back to the market, trying to work through what had just happened. His distraction nearly caused him to forget his errand, and he was forced to double back to buy the salt he’d come for in the first place. 

When he returned to the ship, the deck was bustling with activity as his crew prepared for departure. 

“Did you get lost?” Sehun called down to him as he climbed up the gangplank, “We were about to start placing bets on whether you’d been murdered or not.”

Chanyeol shrugged the barrel of salt onto the deck, rolling his shoulder to relieve the stiffness there, “Not murdered. I ran into someone I used to know from home. We were friends back then, but he acted really strange.”

“Who was it?” Sehun asked, “Do I know him?”

“I don’t think so.” Chanyeol answered, “He used to work for my family. Byun Baekhyun?”

Sehun’s mouth dropped open, “Wait. Say that name again.”

“Um…” Chanyeol questioned, “Byun Baekhyun? You know him?”

“Unless there’s two of them, then I absolutely know him.” Sehun replied, “And you should, too. Do you ever talk to people, Chanyeol?”

“First of all,” Chanyeol crossed his arms, “Call me captain. Second, would you just tell me what I’m missing?”

“Byun is the captain of the _El Dorado_. The Bluebird?” Sehun drawled, “Please tell me you’ve heard of him. His real name is less well known, but it still gets around.”

Of course he had. Chanyeol stood speechless for a moment, unable to process what he’d just been told.

“They can’t be the same person.” He denied, “There’s no way.”

“Well, you said he acted strange.” Sehun reminded him, “By strange did you mean ‘he acted like the ruthless captain of the ocean’s most infamous pirate ship’? Or was it a different kind of strange?”

And now that Sehun mentioned it, it was exactly that kind of strange. Baekhyun had been upset that Chanyeol was calling out his name; he was afraid of being recognized; he was carrying a weapon. 

Sehun was staring at him expectantly. 

“Get back to work.” Chanyeol muttered, “I need to take this down to the kitchen.”

* * *

They left the bay just before sundown, and Chanyeol volunteered to take the first shift at the wheel. 

As everyone settled down for the night, the noise on the deck gradually quieted until the only thing Chanyeol could hear was the rhythmic slapping noise of the waves hitting the sides of the ship. It was a calm night with a bright moon, but Chanyeol couldn’t seem to relax. 

The more he thought about the incident with Baekhyun earlier, the angrier he got. When they were children, Chanyeol had thought of Baekhyun like his brother. It had been devastating when he ran away, and a part of Chanyeol always worried that something had happened to him that prevented him from coming home. Baekhyun had traded in his life at the Park household for a life of crime, and then had the nerve to act like Chanyeol was stupid for offering him a way back. 

His fingers flexed on the wheel as he remembered the way Baekhyun had sworn at him and treated him like an inconvenience. He should have turned him in as soon as he suspected that Baekhyun was in some sort of trouble. It was his duty as an officer to uphold the law, but his past friendship had blinded him. 

On that clear night in June, Chanyeol swore to himself that he would make up for his mistake. He would capture Byun Baekhyun, and he would turn him over to the courts if it took the rest of his career as a member of the Royal Navy. Baekhyun had escaped justice thus far, but he would personally ensure that he wouldn’t evade it forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS I SWEAR BY THE STAAAAAARS


	2. The Earth Has Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I *may* have forgotten that I started this story. I sincerely apologize to anybody who was waiting for this to come out, and you can thank the readers who left me comments in the past two weeks for reminding me! My other projects are finished now, so this fic has my full attention.
> 
> This chapter feat. NCT, because I realized after about three sentences that half of EXO could not sail a whole entire ship.

Even though Chanyeol had sworn an oath to take down Baekhyun, he had really considered it to be more of a long-term goal than an immediate situation, but a mere two weeks after the incident on the peer, his ship was boarded. By the crew of the _El Dorado._

They were only a few more days of travel from their destination, when the pale, billowing sails of another ship came into view. From the crow’s nest, Sehun called down to the crew below, informing them of an approaching vessel on the horizon. Chanyeol was in his cabin, preparing some of the documents that would need to be handed off with their cargo when Minseok shouted for him from the helm. 

Chanyeol stepped out onto the deck, squinting into the setting sun to see the indistinct shape Minseok was pointing to. 

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted up to Sehun, “Can you see anything to help identify it?”

“Not yet!” Sehun answered, “The sun is too bright behind them. But they’re approaching fast—the wind is behind them.”

Chanyeol leaned against the mast and watched the shape in the distance grow larger. He sucked his lip between his teeth and chewed on it nervously, an indistinct feeling of unease balling up in his stomach. It was possible that the other ship didn’t pose a threat, but this far away from port, it was rare to come across anything unintentionally. They weren’t looking for whoever was approaching, so the odds were that whoever was steering the other ship was looking for them. 

When it became obvious that the ship wasn’t changing coarse, Chanyeol climbed up to the helm to talk to Minseok. 

“How far off course will we end up if we change tack?” He asked. 

Minseok sucked his cheeks and sighed, “If you want the wind directly behind us, we’ll lose two days at least. But it depends on how far they chase us.”

Chanyeol’s eyes returned to the horizon, and the anxious feeling in his stomach intensified. 

“Jongin! Sehun! Trim the sails to the wind!” He ordered, “I don’t want them getting any closer.”

The two men hurried to obey, and to Chanyeol’s relief, the other ship stopped coming towards them quite so quickly. 

But it was still gaining on them. 

“I can see it now, Captain.” Sehun announced grimly, “Pirates. Even with the adjustments, they’ll catch up to us within the hour.”

Chanyeol’s chest clenched, and he swore under his breath. The situation was unbelievable: they would be boarded by pirates on his maiden voyage as captain. 

A strong hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked over to see Minseok staring into his eyes. “Tell the crew to arm themselves, Chanyeol.” he directed, “Don’t panic. Fear is contagious.”

Looking around, Chanyeol could see that Minseok was right. His men were looking at him with wide eyes, waiting to see his reaction and receive their orders. He forced himself to breath deeply and clamp down on his nerves. “Gather your weapons!” he shouted, “A band of pirates is no match for the Royal Navy; we have nothing to fear.”

Despite his confident words, the atmosphere on _Thunder_ thickened as their pursuers got closer. 

“Captain.” Sehun called from the crow’s nest, his voice thinner than Chanyeol had ever heard before, “It’s the _El Dorado._ ”

A whispered gasp travelled through the crew, and Chanyeol felt his heart drop down to his feet. The odds were astronomical, but it seemed that he was going to run into Baekhyun again much sooner than he’d anticipated. 

Eventually, they didn’t need Sehun to relay the situation to them anymore. _El Dorado_ was close enough for all of them to see the black flag flying above white sails, and the distinctive spread of bird’s wings that decorated the masthead. Chanyeol flexed his hand reflexively on the hilt of his blade, staring down the approaching ship as he mentally prepared for a fight. 

Time seemed to hang suspended as they waited for something to happen. All eyes were trained on the pirate ship when the complete silence was disturbed by a quiet chuckle. 

Chanyeol’s attention snapped to the sound, and he felt his heart stop.

“You should really try to be more observant, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun teased, skin shining with sweat as he pressed a dagger against Haechan’s throat, “Did you think I was stupid enough to attack you head on?”

It was surreal. In a second, anticipation turned to horror as Chanyeol realized his mistake. 

“Tell your men to drop their weapons, or I’ll slit his throat.” The steel flashed red in Baekhyun’s hand as it caught the light from the setting sun, “You have ten seconds.”

For a moment, Chanyeol floundered. Tears started to leak down Haechan’s face, and the sailor clenched them shut as he tried to hold back. 

Baekhyun clicked his tongue sympathetically and brushed the tears away with his thumb, “Don’t worry, little one. Your captain’s heart is too big to let you die.” His eyes drifted up to meet Chanyeol’s, “You have five more seconds. I’m not bluffing.”

Chanyeol wanted to believe that he was lying. He wanted to hope that Baekhyun wouldn’t murder the youngest member of his crew. But looking into Baekhyun’s eyes, it was clear that the man in front of him was not the boy he knew. 

“Drop your weapons.” Chanyeol ordered, “Listen to what he says.”

Metal clattered to the deck, and Chanyeol let both his sword and his pistol fall to the ground at his feet. 

“Thank you, Captain.” Baekhyun smiled, “If any one of you moves contrary to my instructions, I won’t hesitate to kill this boy. You.” He gestured towards Jongin, “Wave a white flag to my boys on the _El Dorado_ over there and let them know they can come on over.”

Ropes flew onto the deck as soon as Jongin did as he was told, bringing at least a dozen pirates with them. Baekhyun shouted orders as soon as they arrived, commanding half of them to gather the naval crew around the mast while the other half went below deck to search the cargo. 

Chanyeol’s eyes never left Haechan. He was no longer crying, but his body was visibly trembling in Baekhyun’s arms, and his eyes stayed tightly closed as he tried to keep himself together. The weight of the situation was becoming too much for Chanyeol to bear as his crew was corralled and held at the center of the ship. They were utterly helpless, and he felt red-hot humiliation mingle sharply with his fear when his hands were tied in front of his body and he was forced to kneel in a line with his crew members. 

“Ten.” Baekhyun called when one of his men lingered in front of Johnny, “Back off, there’s no need to harass anybody.”

To Chanyeol’s right, a pirate who was even shorter than Baekhyun pouted as he drew his fingers through Johnny’s hair, “But I like this one,” he replied before turning back around, “Hey, have you ever thought about a life of crime? You have the bone structure of an excellent pirate, and I guarantee it pays better than this crummy job.”

Johnny avoided the other man’s gaze, and eventually the pirate sighed and turned away. He approached one of his fellow guards and leaned heavily on his shoulder, “Why won’t they ever join us, Luhan? It’s a tragedy to waste so much potential on upholding the law.”

Chanyeol flinched when Minseok scoffed beside him. 

Luhan glared at his first mate, “Do you have something to say?” he challenged. 

Minseok’s shoulder brushed against his as he sat up straighter, “I apologize. It’s just funny to me that you would ever believe that men of honor would consider joining your band of thieving rats.”

In a moment, Luhan was directly in front of Minseok, looming over him threateningly, “Men of honor?” he repeated, “Is that what you call it? Upholding a corrupt system and defending those who need it the least?”

Chanyeol held his breath as Luhan pushed in even closer, reaching out to grip Minseok’s chin in his hand, “We may be rats, but you’re nothing but a dog, trailing behind your masters to get a taste of the scraps they leave you.”

Finally, Luhan leaned back and let go of Minseok, relaxing once his point was made. A switch seemed to flip in his demeanor, and he returned to the casual posture he’d held before. “Hey, Captain.” he called to Baekhyun, “Would you tell Yixing to hurry up? This bunch is starting to irritate me.”

“Take it easy, Lu.” Baekhyun cautioned, “We don’t need another incident.”

Behind their guards, the rest of the pirates were starting to emerge from the cargo hold, moving slowly as they carried the heavy crates out of storage. They pried open the lids and one of the crew reported, “It looks like they’re carrying two shipments down there.”

He held up a bolt of silk, “This is for a private investor. And these,” he held up a rifle, “Are for the military.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Transport the silk to the _El Dorado._ I want the guns thrown overboard. All hands get to work hauling goods; I’ll keep an eye on the hostages.”

Baekhyun shuffled towards them with Haechan in tow, smirking when he saw Chanyeol’s jaw drop as the pirates heaved the crate full of rifles off the side of the ship and into the water. 

“We don’t use them,” he explained, “I don’t allow it.”

Chanyeol scanned over Baekhyun’s crew and noted that it was true. They were carrying swords, knives, daggers, and sabers—but no guns. 

“Why?” Chanyeol blurted, “They’re effective.”

“Too effective.” Baekhyun responded immediately, “People don’t deserve the power to kill thoughtlessly. You have the right to be touched before you die.”

Baekhyun didn’t elaborate further, and Chanyeol frowned. His eyes travelled from the knife at Haechan’s throat to the men dumping weapons into the ocean, and he couldn’t see the difference. Someone wound up dead either way.

By the time the bottom of the ship was emptied out, the sun had set. Baekhyun was the last to leave. Outlined by the pale light of the moon, he perched on the railing of the ship just long enough to wave goodbye before swinging away to the deck of the _El Dorado._

* * *

As captain, Chanyeol was responsible for reporting to the admiral at the naval headquarters what had happened while they were at sea. His eyes stayed fixed on the floor as he admitted that all of their cargo had been stolen by the Bluebird and his crew. 

The admiral frowned over steepled fingers, “Repeat the part about how the pirate gained control of your vessel.”

Chanyeol swallowed, “We were taken by surprise. As we waited for a threat to appear from the _El Dorado_ , he used a smaller boat to work around and gain access while we were distracted. He took a hostage and forced me to issue a command for all crew to drop their weapons.”

“So the Bluebird was alone?” Admiral Lee questioned, “Only one member of your crew was in immediate danger?”

Chanyeol’s gaze slid up to make eye contact, “He would have certainly died if we had not complied. His throat would have been slit while I drew my gun.”

Admiral Lee sighed, “I understand the situation. I admit; I’m disappointed in you, Park. As captain, you are required to make difficult decisions and sacrifices are required from you. Perhaps the Bluebird would have killed his hostage, but you would have been able to gun him down before any further damage was done. The cargo would be safe, and a dangerous threat would be taken care of. You must learn to weigh these things.”

Chanyeol tuned out the rest of the lecture, heat rising to his ears as he fully considered what he was being told. Admiral Lee expected him to risk the safety of his crew for some silk and a handful of rifles. Haechan’s tear stained face flashed behind his eyelids as the admiral rattled off the total amount of money they’d lost in stolen goods. 

When he was finally given permission to leave, Chanyeol wandered aimlessly, emotions welling up inside of him. He felt angry and embarrassed, and the last thing he wanted to do was go back to _Thunder_ and face his crew. 

The streets narrowed as he meandered into the seedier side of town. On both sides, the buildings grew taller and closer together, and eventually Chanyeol found himself in front of the dirty exterior of a bar. He hesitated for only a moment before entering. Inside, the lighting was dim and grainy, hardly illuminating the patrons who dotted the tables arranged around the establishment.

Chanyeol slid into a bar stool and ordered a shot of whiskey, grimacing as he kicked it back and called for another. 

He’d just managed to get himself buzzed when a cool breeze caused him to glance up towards the door. In that moment, Chanyeol began to wonder what he’d ever done to deserve so much bad karma, because in the doorway was fucking Byun Baekhyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you liked it!


	3. The Earth Has Care

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some sexy new tags, so be mindful of those.

The light outside silhouetted Baekhyun briefly before he shut the door behind him, striding up to the bar. Chanyeol glared at the counter as he approached, the anger he was trying to drown with booze bubbling back up to the surface. 

He heard Baekhyun gasp softly when he got close enough to recognize him. Chanyeol didn’t look up until the shorter man asked, “Are you stalking me or something?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Chanyeol finally looked up at his former friend, “It appears that fate is playing a joke on both of us.”

Baekhyun raised a hand to get the bartender’s attention, smiling when the man recognized him. 

“Baekhyun! It’s been a while. How have you been?”

Chanyeol’s eyes darted between the two as they chatted and raised an eyebrow at Baekhyun when the bartender moved away to mix a drink for him. 

“Kris is a friend of mine.” Baekhyun explained, “If you try to arrest me, he’ll have you thrown out on the street before you can put a hand on me. This isn’t the nice part of town, and nobody wants to be on the Bluebird’s bad side. Nobody will listen if you raise an alarm.”

Acceptance tasted bitter in his mouth, but Chanyeol couldn’t deny that attempting to overpower Baekhyun was next to impossible given the circumstances. Chanyeol shook his head, “I’m drunk, sad, and I don’t have any backup. But next time, Byun, I’m taking you to jail.”

“Will you really?” Baekhyun asked, fingers curling around his glass, “I’ll hang, you know. You’re superiors are quite anxious to have me dead at this point.”

On the bar, Chanyeol’s tumbler was sweating, dripping water down the sides and onto the counter. He dragged his fingers through the condensation and flicked it onto the floor, “My job is to bring you in. The courts will decide what happens after that.”

Baekhyun ducked his head down to make eye contact with Chanyeol, “You really won’t feel bad? Not even a little guilty for killing your childhood friend?”

Chanyeol clenched his teeth together and tipped his chin back to glare at Baekhyun. 

“You have a lot of fucking nerve.” Chanyeol snapped, “How can you even look me in the eyes right now? My family took care of you for years—my parents treated you like a son. I thought that we were brothers, Baek, and here we are almost a decade later, and I don’t even know who you are any more.”

Momentum built behind Chanyeol’s words as he started to vent the frustration and resentment that had been growing since he’d discovered Baekhyun’s new identity. Angry tears prickled behind his eyes, “You disgust me, and I will hand you over to the authorities without an ounce of regret. You are greedy, corrupt, and utterly unrepentant, and I have sworn to bring people like you into the hands of justice. Whatever happens after that is your own fault, and you’ll deserve whatever punishment you get.”

When it was clear that Chanyeol was finished, Baekhyun stretched his arms above his head casually, “Wow, you really needed to get that out, huh?”

Chanyeol huffed and got up, marching past Baekhyun towards the door. Baekhyun’s hand wrapped around his arm, yanking him back as the shorter man stood up and led him towards a table in the darkened corner of the bar. “Uh-uh, you’re gonna have to stick around a little longer.” Baekhyun pulled out a chair and pushed him into it before sitting down across from him, “I have some stuff to get out too.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to protest, but in a moment, silver flashed through the air as Baekhyun drew his knife and pressed it against Chanyeol’s jaw. The metal was cool and shocking against his skin, and Chanyeol froze in response.

“Would you shut up?” Baekhyun commanded, “We need to clear some things up, and you’re not allowed to speak until I’m finished.”

Shocked by the sudden change in Baekhyun’s demeanor, Chanyeol just nodded, his self-righteous anger forgotten. 

Baekhyun leaned back into his chair, but kept his weapon in his hand, twirling it expertly as he spoke. “I know you can be exceptionally dull, Chanyeol, but surely you remember that your parents didn’t actually take me in out of the goodness of their hearts? My mother was indentured to them, and when she passed I inherited her debt. She worked for the Parks for 12 years, which left me with 8 years of indentured service.”

“But we never treated you like…” Chanyeol started to interrupt. 

The knife stopped spinning as Baekhyun gripped the handle and glared at Chanyeol, “I told you not to fucking talk.”

Chanyeol bit his lip and waited for Baekhyun to continue. 

“You thought of me as a brother, but your parents never, ever saw me as a son.” Baekhyun flexed his fingers around his dagger before he resumed twirling it in his hand, “I was allowed to eat at your table and stay in the main house because you cared about me, Chanyeol, and your parents obliged you. They didn’t have any reason to treat me poorly as long as the chores got done. Until I turned 19. That’s when the debt expired, and they threw me out.”

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped, and a protest gurgled in his throat before he remembered Baekhyun’s instructions. 

“I didn’t have anywhere to go, Yeol.” Baekhyun set the knife down with a thud, clutching the edges of the table with both hands and leaning forward, “What was I supposed to do? I didn’t have any money, nobody to ask for help. I tried to get a new job, but nobody wanted me. I came back, you know, when I got hungry and desperate.” Baekhyun’s voice wobbled, “But Junmyeon wouldn’t even let me in the front door. He said your parents gave him instructions to turn me away immediately if I tried to return.”

Baekhyun paused and took a deep breath, his grip on the table loosening as he gathered himself, “So I went down to the docks. It was the only place left. I was hired as a deckhand and everything else is… complicated. A lot can happen in 7 years. I’ve done what I had to do, and I refuse to be ashamed. Maybe I do deserve to hang for what I’ve done, but don’t you dare act like I owe your family anything.”

Looking across the table, Chanyeol was at a loss for words. There was too much to process. Across from him, Baekhyun looked tired. His mouth was set in a thin frown and the heat from earlier was gone from his gaze, replaced by wistful sadness that made Chanyeol’s heart clench in his chest. 

“They told me you ran away,” he muttered finally. “If I’d know, I would have come after you, Baek. Why would they do that? I don’t understand.”

“They didn’t care.” Baekhyun explained, “They just didn’t care.” 

“It still doesn’t make any sense.” Chanyeol insisted, “Even if your term was up, they could have offered you a job with wages. We had to find someone else to replace you and pay them anyway.”

For the first time, Baekhyun looked uncertain. He raised his hand and motioned for Kris to bring them new drinks, staying quiet until they were placed in front of them. His face scrunched up when he took the shot, and Chanyeol sipped his own drink, still feeling lost. 

“Did you ever get married? After I left?” Baekhyun asked, looking down at his empty glass. 

The question seemed to come out of nowhere, and Chanyeol frowned before answering, “No. But I don’t… I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

Baekhyun’s eyes slid up to meet his, “We weren’t very subtle, Yeol.” His voice was barely above a whisper, “I think we were the only people who couldn’t see it.”

Chanyeol’s mouth went dry, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.” Baekhyun said, “We were in love. It was only a matter of time before we realized it, and your parents just weren’t going to let that happen.”

Baekhyun said the words like he hadn’t just shattered… everything. It was surprisingly painful, Chanyeol thought, to have the distant hopes he’d spun into wispy almost-futures solidified into reality. He wondered what he would think about when he couldn’t sleep, now that he couldn’t ask what might have been if only Baekhyun had loved him back. If only Baekhyun had loved him enough to stay. 

“I didn’t…” he denied weakly, “Not like that. I didn’t love you like that.”

Baekhyun leaned over the small table between them, his face hovering only a few inches from Chanyeol’s. “Are you sure?” he asked, close enough that Chanyeol could feel his words brush across his own lips, “I did.”

Baekhyun had changed so much in their time apart, but when he was this close, Chanyeol could see that his eyes were exactly the same. They were the same bright, droopy, expressive eyes that had captivated him so long ago, and Chanyeol couldn’t lie anymore. 

“Me too,” he confessed, so quietly that Baekhyun had to read his lips. Hot tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, “I loved you too.”

Baekhyun’s callused thumb dragged across his cheek, smearing away the tears as they started to fall, “Don’t cry, Yeol. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”

Chanyeol closed his eyes and leaned into Baekhyun’s palm, unable to reconcile all the emotions swirling around in his head. He was still angry with Baekhyun for pitting himself against the law, and he was also angry with himself for being too stupid to see through his parents’ lies. He was devastated by the revelation that his childish hopes could have been a reality. And he was sad, because none of this information changed anything. The circumstances were set, and there wasn’t a thing he could do to alter them. 

“How did it turn out like this?” he whispered, “How did we mess things up so bad?”

Baekhyun chuckled and ran his fingers over the shell of Chanyeol’s ear fondly, “It doesn’t matter. We chose our paths, and all we can do is follow them.”

Baekhyun was right, but Chanyeol felt rebellion flicker to life inside him. Perhaps they couldn’t change the past, but there was no reason they couldn’t influence the future. Baekhyun was right here in front of him. Fate was giving them another chance. 

Before he could reconsider, Chanyeol leaned forward and pressed his lips briefly to Baekhyun’s, just long enough to feel a sharp inhale of surprise before he pulled back again. 

“We can do whatever we want, Baek,” he said, “Nobody’s here to stop us; we can choose a new path.”

Baekhyun just looked at him, eyes scanning his face as the implications of Chanyeol’s statement hung between them. Chanyeol held his breath as he waited for a response, a blush rising to his cheeks at his own boldness. 

Baekhyun’s chair screeched loudly as he pushed it back and stood up, reaching for Chanyeol’s hand to pull him up as well. “Come with me.” He pulled Chanyeol along behind him, “I’m staying at an inn nearby.”

* * *

The moment they were through the door, Baekhyun pushed him back against the wall and yanked his shirt up and over his head. 

“You’re not going to wait until I’m naked and helpless and then arrest me, right?” Baekhyun joked, fingers working open the buttons of Chanyeol’s jacket to start undressing him as well. “I’m looking forward to getting fucked now, and I would hate to end up in jail instead. You have to promise you’re going to behave.”

Chanyeol blushed all the way up to the tips of his ears, his breath catching in response to Baekhyun’s words. The shorter boy pulled away a little and looked curiously at Chanyeol, his gaze calculating as a smirk formed on his lips. 

“Do you like that, Yeol?” he teased, “Do you want to be good for me?” 

Chanyeol shuddered, heat spreading down his chest through his entire body. He met Baekhyun’s eyes and nodded, his pants feeling significantly tighter than they had before. 

Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol’s jacket off of his shoulders and tugged his undershirt over his head, pressing his body to Chanyeol’s once they were both bare-chested. He wrapped both arms around Chanyeol’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss. The energy between them felt electric as they started to grind against one another, the kiss growing increasingly urgent and messy. 

Chanyeol snuck one hand between them to palm Baekhyun through his pants, and their lips were forced to part as Baekhyun tilted his head back and groaned. 

“Can I suck you off, Baek?” Chanyeol asked, already lowering himself down onto his knees, “Please?”

“Jesus,” Baekhyun breathed, carding his fingers through Chanyeol’s hair, “Yeah, um… go right ahead.”

As soon as he had permission, Chanyeol worked quickly to untie the strings keeping Baekhyun’s trousers up, pulling them down to reveal his semi-hard length. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip before sucking the tip into his mouth, his eyes sliding up to see Baekhyun’s face. The pirate was watching him with hooded eyes, his lips parted as he panted lightly. 

Chanyeol kept his eyes trained on Baekhyun as he worked his mouth up and down Baekhyun’s dick, hungry for the other man’s reactions as he coaxed him to full hardness. 

“You’re doing so well, Yeol.” Baekhyun tested the waters, “You look so pretty like this.”

Chanyeol moaned around his cock, and he pressed one hand against the bulge between his legs. Baekhyun smiled and threaded his fingers into Chanyeol’s hair, tugging on it lightly. 

“You like that, sweetheart?” he asked, eyelids fluttering shut as Chanyeol took him all the way into the back of his throat, “Your mouth feels amazing. You’re such a good boy.”

Chanyeol pulled back to suckle on Baekhyun’s tip, his own cock pressed tight against the material of his slacks. His hips pushed forward against his palm as Baekhyun spoke, and he blushed a little as he realized that a little wet spot was already forming on the front of his pants. 

He groaned when Baekhyun’s grip on his hair tightened, closing his eyes and letting his mouth hang open as the shorter boy pulled him off of his dick. “Take your pants off and go lay on the bed.” Baekhyun instructed, tugging on Chanyeol’s hair one more time before he letting go. 

Chanyeol did as he was told, watching while Baekhyun kicked off his own pants, then crossed the room to dig around in his bag. He pulled out a container of oil that was typically used to waterproof blades, tossing it from hand to hand as he approached the bed. He climbed onto the mattress and swung one knee over Chanyeol’s thighs to straddle him. 

After unscrewing the cap on the oil, Baekhyun dipped his fingers into the slick substance and groaned as he started to work himself open. He looked sinfully good hovering over Chanyeol as he rode his own hand. Chanyeol wrapped both hands around the smaller man’s waist to steady him, preoccupying himself by kissing and sucking on Baekhyun’s neck, occasionally grazing the skin with his teeth. 

“You’re gonna feel so good inside me.” Baekhyun gasped next to Chanyeol’s ear, working a third finger into his hole, “I can’t wait for you to fuck me.”

Chanyeol whimpered as his hips rocked up instinctually, and he buried his nose in Baekhyun’s neck, “I want to make you feel good,” he confessed, “I want to watch you cum.”

Baekhyun hooked his fingers beneath Chanyeol’s chin, guiding his face up for a searing kiss. Shivers went down Chanyeol’s spine when Baekhyun bit down on his lower lip, sucking on it for a moment before letting it go and pushing him down on the bed. 

Chanyeol held his breath as he watched Baekhyun wrap his oil-slicked hand around his cock and stroke it a few times before pressing the tip against his hole and slowly lowering himself down. Chanyeol trembled with the effort to keep still as Baekhyun sunk down inch by inch, pausing several times to breath and relax around his length. Finally, Baekhyun’s ass made contact with Chanyeol’s hips as he seated himself fully. 

Chanyeol had to squeeze his eyes shut when Baekhyun started to rock back and forth, occasionally lifting up before slamming back down. The visual of his cock disappearing inside Baekhyun’s ass while the other man’s dick bounced against his stomach was too much if he wanted to last. 

Above him, Baekhyun lifted off him completely, rolling sideways onto the mattress. “Come on,” he urged Chanyeol, “Get on top. I want you to fuck me properly.”

Chanyeol did as he was told, climbing between Baekhyun’s legs and pushing himself back into Baekhyun’s tight, velvety heat. Starting slowly, he worked up to a good pace, resisting the urge to speed up and chase his own orgasm. His cock throbbed with need, but he ignored it in favor of watching Baekhyun, changing the angle until his partner threw his head back and gasped. 

“There! God, Chanyeol, there.” Baekhyun moaned, reaching down to touch himself as Chanyeol hit his prostate. “You’re doing so well, baby, keep going.”

Pressure coiled in Chanyeol’s gut as Baekhyun writhed beneath him, leaking precum onto his stomach. He sped up as Baekhyun panted for more, eager to give the smaller man exactly what he wanted. 

Finally, Baekhyun shuddered and arched off the bed as he came, shooting all over his chest as he stroked himself through his orgasm. Chanyeol paused inside of him, enraptured by the sight of Baekhyun at the peak of pleasure, his ass contracting around him with each spurt of cum. 

As soon as he caught his breath, Baekhyun pulled himself off Chanyeol’s cock and sat up to wrap his hand around it, jerking him off with a tight fist. “Cum for me, Yeol,” he commanded, “You deserve it.”

It only took a few more strokes to send Chanyeol tumbling over the edge, gasping as he rocked into Baekhyun’s hand. His cum striped over Baekhyun’s chest, mixing with the release already dripping there from Baekhyun’s orgasm. He collapsed against Baekhyun as soon as he was finished, panting as he wrapped the other man into his arms. 

Baekhyun tolerated being smothered by Chanyeol for a few minutes before the feeling of sweat and cum drying against his skin became too much. He ignored Chanyeol’s whines as he pushed him off and went to the bathroom, bringing back a rag to clean them both up. 

As soon as he was finished, Chanyeol pouted, making grabby hands at him from his position on the bed. Baekhyun rolled his eyes, but joined him willingly, pressing his back against Chanyeol’s chest. 

“Things are going to be better, now, right?” Chanyeol mumbled, his eyes drooping shut as he fought off sleep, “We’re going to stop fighting and go start a farm or something.”

Baekhyun huffed, “I’m still a pirate, Chanyeol. And you’re still in the Navy. We understand each other, but we’re still on opposite sides of the law.”

“But what if you stopped being a pirate?” Chanyeol whined, his words slurring together with fatigue, “Come live on my boat.”

“It’s not that easy.” Baekhyun insisted, frustrated by the other’s simplification, “I like what I do. I have a crew to provide for…” He paused as he realized Chanyeol wasn’t responding. 

Behind him, the taller man’s breathing had evened out, and it appeared that he’d fallen asleep. 

For about half an hour, Baekhyun stayed. He stared at the wall as Chanyeol slept beside him, thinking hard about what he should do next. 

With a sigh, he lifted Chanyeol’s arm off his waist and slithered out of the other’s embrace, gathering his clothes up from off the floor. He retrieved a pen and paper from his bag and wrote a quick note before gathering his things and closing the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should have been titled "Dialogue and Porn." But. That's not a line in the poem.


	4. Deep, Quiet, and Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this shows up in your inbox twice, Archive had some hiccups last night and I had to re-upload <3

Any hopes Baekhyun had of being discreet about what happened in town were ruined when he stepped unto the _El Dorado _and got called out for the disgraceful state of his neck. Luhan wolf whistled loudly from the wheel, calling, “You look like you got mauled, Captain! It’s about time, you’ve been in a dry spell.”__

Baekhyun grit his teeth but tried to keep his annoyance under wraps. It was best if his crew believed he’d just had a regular one-night stand. 

He forced a smile at Luhan, “Don’t be jealous, Lu. I’m sure you could get some too if you just keep your mouth shut.”

Luhan snorted, “Must be good advice if it works for you.”

Baekhyun let him have the last word as everyone on deck went back to their tasks. He thought he’d successfully avoided suspicion until he looked up to see Yixing staring at him. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he had to remind himself that there was no way Yixing knew what happened. He’d been back on the boat for less than five minutes, and he hadn’t done anything unusual. 

He smiled at Yixing and nodded before quickly breaking eye contact and going to his cabin. Baekhyun was often grateful for his first mate’s uncanny ability to read him, but he really wanted to keep the details of his night with Chanyeol a secret. 

For the rest of the day, he skirted around Yixing while pretending to be nonchalant about it. They had a normal conversation at dinner, and Baekhyun relaxed as he thought he’d managed to put on an act good enough to convince his first mate that nothing was amiss. But his friend was a tricky bastard, and he should have anticipated that Yixing was just biding his time. 

Once the sun had set and most of the crew were in bed, Baekhyun took the first watch. He was at his station at the bow of the ship when a familiar presence crept up behind him. Turning around, Baekhyun was felt resigned as he recognized Yixing behind him. 

“You’ve got the third watch tonight,” Baekhyun reminded him, “You can go to bed.”

Yixing stepped up beside him and leaned against the wooden railing, looking out over the dark water. “You don’t let people leave marks on you.”

Baekhyun sighed and rubbed the offensive spot on his neck, “It’s not a rule or anything… I just thought I could try something new last night.”

Yixing looked away from the water to look at Baekhyun and raised his eyebrow meaningfully, “You never let me leave marks on you.”

Baekhyun flushed pink, “We haven’t done that in a long time, Xing. It’s not that complicated.”

Baekhyun turned away to look out over the water, although he could still feel Yixing’s gaze on him. A large wave broke against the bow of the ship, sprinkling them both with a shower of sea spray. Baekhyun flinched when warm fingers touched his cheek, wiping away the speckles of salt water. His eyes widened as Yixing’s hand lingered, gently guiding his chin over to look at his first mate. 

“It has been a long time.” Yixing’s thumb caressed his cheek, “How would you feel about changing that? Your neck looks so pretty with bruises on it; I wouldn’t mind adding a couple.”

The hand on his cheek migrated to the back of his neck, expert fingers massaging the sensitive skin there. Baekhyun was floored. All day, Baekhyun thought his friend was watching him because he knew something was up, but apparently he’d misread the situation. 

The two of them had an arrangement. They were close friends, and both agreed that while they weren’t looking for a romantic relationship, there was no reason why they couldn’t help each other out every once and a while. When they were younger, Baekhyun would fall into bed with Yixing on a fairly regular basis, but their sexual encounters had become more sporadic over the past couple years. The novelty wore off, and any bed sharing they did now usually involved more chatting than moaning. It appeared that Yixing was in the mood to re-kindle their spark, and normally Baekhyun would indulge him.

But his traitorous heart thumped in his chest. The warm pressure of Yixing’s hand was a reminder of bigger hands wrapped around his waist and clutching at his thighs, reassuring Baekhyun with every touch that Chanyeol was back and ready to stay. 

Baekhyun pulled away, “I’m sorry, Xing, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Baekhyun expected Yixing to react in one of a few different ways. Perhaps he would ask why, or try to convince Baekhyun to change his mind. What Baekhyun did not expect was for Yixing to lean back and giggle, sultry expression melting into a smug grin.

“I knew something was up. Have you fallen in love or something?” Yixing asked, “It must be serious if you’re turning down other people."

Baekhyun gaped like a fish at the sudden change in mood, thoughts spinning as he tried to catch up. He’d been played.

“No, I…” Baekhyun sputtered, “What? What are you talking about? I’m just not in the mood, Xing, why…?”

"I'm sorry for tricking you, but I wanted to be sure." Yixing apologized, “You’ve been increasingly distant ever since we left Newhaven, and then you come back from town today looking close to tears, covered in hickeys. I wish you would just tell me what’s going on, so I don’t have to worry anymore.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.” Baekhyun insisted, “There’s just a… situation. With this boy I used to know.”

Yixing squinted at him, “A situation?”

Baekhyun could feel Yixing closing in, getting nearer to the truth. He was starting to feel cornered, and his voice was colored with irritation as he answered, “I already told you that it’s nothing to worry about. Just leave it.”

Yixing leaned away from him, his expression softening as he gave Baekhyun some space. The two men fell quiet for a moment, before Baekhyun felt Yixing’s pinky wrap around his own. “You can trust me, Baekhyun.” Yixing reassured him, “You already know that, so why are you being so secretive?”

And Baekhyun didn’t really know the answer to that question. Why did it matter? Yixing was familiar with his past; he knew where Baekhyun came from. He definitely already knew Baekhyun was gay, based on first hand experience. But he still felt defensive, plagued by the suspicion that Yixing would judge him if he told him the whole truth. 

There was also a part of him that wanted to keep Chanyeol private, close to his chest, and hidden. He had always kept Chanyeol as separate from his new life as possible, based on some vague fear of mixing the two. It didn’t seem right to bring any part of his bright, optimistic friend into the harsh, cynical world that Baekhyun had accepted as reality. 

Baekhyun’s eyes slid up to meet Yixing’s, and he could see the concern etched into the other man’s expression as Baekhyun continued to withhold information from him. He licked his lips and tasted the salt there, forcing himself to relax the tension that had sprung up into his shoulders. It was pointless to pretend that Chanyeol still belonged to a different, happier time. He’d seen it clearly when Chanyeol had looked up at him with glassy eyes and begged for his approval, begged Baekhyun to tell him he’d done well. Chanyeol may have been whole once, but he was just as broken as Baekhyun by now. 

“His name is Park Chanyeol.” Baekhyun finally caved, turning to meet Yixing’s gaze again, “And I don’t love him, but I could. I have.”

Yixing’s head tilted curiously, “Could you elaborate on that?”

Baekhyun gestured nonsensically with his hands, trying to figure out where to even begin, “I guess… he was my almost boyfriend. His parents kicked me out, and I became a pirate while he joined the Navy. We ran into each other in Newhaven, then we robbed his ship last week, and last night we fucked.”

Yixing raised his eyebrows, “That’s, um, messy.”

“Yeah, you think?” Baekhyun huffed, “And he’s still just as cute as he was when I fell in love with him, but I can’t pursue him because he is literally bound by law to take me to jail.”

He leaned into Yixing’s shoulder heavily and sighed, “It’s fucking ridiculous, and I want to scream because it’s so unfair. But I can’t change it. So tomorrow we’re going to set sail for the other side of the continent, and I’m going to pray that the ocean is big enough for me to run away forever.”

* * *

Chanyeol was cold when he woke up, drawing the blankets up close to his nose to warm up. For a few bleary moments, that didn’t seem unusual, but as consciousness came back to him, so did his memory of the night before. He sat up and rubbed his eyes before scanning the room. He frowned as he looked around, finding no trace of Baekhyun. Perhaps he’d dreamed the whole encounter. 

A draft blew in through the open window, and Chanyeol shivered as his eyes drifted over to the nightstand, where a piece of paper fluttered in the breeze. He reached out to snag the note, pulling it into his lap to read it. 

_I’m happy we were able to gain some closure last night, but it’s time to return to reality. For both our sakes, I hope we do not meet again. No hard feelings. –Baekhyun_

Chanyeol stared at the note. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as the situation started to fully settle into his mind, and he swallowed hard as prickly heat spread from his chest up to his ears. The memories from last night were cast in a new, humiliating light as he realized that it had meant nothing to Baekhyun. From the moment they’d left the bar together, he had assumed that something was going to change. They had admitted they used to have feelings for each other and made love together; Chanyeol never questioned that those things would have an impact on both of them. 

He pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes hard enough for little spots of light to explode behind his eyelids, and an ugly sob threatened to tear through his throat as he tried to resist the urge to cry. More than anything, he felt so stupid. He’d allowed hope to make his heart vulnerable, and now he just felt naïve and childish. 

Shame burned in his gut as he threw off the covers and gathered his clothes up off the floor. A fresh batch of tears welled up as he buttoned his shirt over dark purple bruises scattered across his neck and collarbones, remembering how he’d shuddered as Baekhyun sucked them into his skin. At the time, he thought his lover was being possessive, and it had been intoxicating to feel like he was being claimed him in a way that other people would see. When he'd placed his own marks, he'd imagined other people seeing them and knowing immediately that Baekhyun was taken. His. The last button closed over his neck, and a glance at the mirror showed Chanyeol that Baekhyun had been careful not to leave any marks above his collar line. He grit his teeth as he looked away from his reflection; apparently, they had been on a separate page the whole time. 

Once he’d gotten dressed and located all of his things, Chanyeol sunk down to sit on the edge of the bed. A few more tears dripped onto the hardwood as he stared at the floor. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, forcing himself to breath in through his nose and out through his mouth until the shaky gasps from crying had evened out. He dragged his arm across his face to wipe away the wetness clinging to his cheeks and sat up straight, feeling more in control after letting his emotions out. 

He was hurting now, Chanyeol rationalized, but this encounter was a positive development. Never again would he be tormented by ‘what if?’ He would no longer be hindered by the shred of hope that, if given the chance, Baekhyun would return to him.

Chanyeol picked up the note that had fallen onto the bed and carefully folded it before placing it in his breast pocket. He would keep it close to his heart as a reminder. Baekhyun would never stay. Baekhyun would never choose him. It was time to return to reality.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	5. Unquiet Are It's Graves

For nearly a year, Baekhyun was able to keep Chanyeol in the back of his head. Thoughts of him were like an itch that he refused to scratch. During the day, it was easy not to dwell on what had happened, but at night he was plagued by nagging thoughts of how he could have acted differently. He often wondered what Chanyeol would say to him if they met again. 

But with time, his fixation faded. There was always something to do, and as long as he stayed busy, it was easy to forget. 

Between journeys, he got in the habit of doing extra jobs in the cities were they stopped to resupply and do repairs on the ship. The money was good, and it was another way to keep him distracted. He’d gotten ahold of a shipment of opium in a raid a few months back, and stealing from nobility had become child’s play ever since. 

He was running the usual scheme today, seated in a swanky bar with smoky eyes and a plunging neckline. Rumor was that the duke’s oldest son frequented this place, and Baekhyun had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before he met him. 

Baekhyun kept a glass of soda water in front of him, keeping up the appearance of drinking without actually touching any alcohol. Around him, people were getting sloppier as the night wore on, laughing louder and starting to get raunchy. A few people approached him at the bar, but Baekhyun quickly redirected them to targets who might be more interested. 

Finally, his attention was piqued by somebody new taking a seat next to him. Well-tailored clothes, discreet sparkles of jewelry, and the unmistakable aura of someone who’d been raised with money. Baekhyun’s lip twitched up before he schooled his expression into a mask of guileless interest and turned to face the handsome newcomer. 

“What are you drinking?” The man asked, pointing to Baekhyun’s glass.

“Tequila.” Baekhyun lied, “But I’ve probably had a little too much already.”

“Ah, one more can’t hurt.” He gestured for the bartender to bring Baekhyun another drink, “What’s your name? I’ve never seen you here before.”

“Taehyung.” Baekhyun replied, pretending to take a sip from his new drink, “I’m not in town for long. I work on a ship that’s being docked for repairs.”

“Oh, surely not!” His target exclaimed, “A pretty thing like you working out at sea? That’s a crime.”

Baekhyun looked down at the countertop, acting shy, “Well, what’s your name? What do you do?”

“I’m Leeteuk.” The stranger answered, his eyes drifting over Baekhyun’s frame appreciatively, “And I work in politics.”

They continued to make small talk for a while, and Baekhyun hammed it up like a proper hussy. He scooted closer to Leeteuk, leaving fleeting touches on his shoulder, his knee, his elbow, wetting his lips as he made sure to never break eye contact. 

“I live near here, if you’re interested.” Leeteuk finally offered, and a warm hand slid up Baekhyun’s thigh, “I’d love to take you home.”

Internally, Baekhyun cheered. He bit his lip and nodded, standing up and taking Leeteuk’s arm when he offered it. 

Outside, the air was chilly, and Baekhyun used it as an excuse to cling to Leeteuk’s side closely, pressing himself against the other man from shoulder to hip. When they arrived at their destination, it confirmed what Baekhyun had already assumed. Leeteuk was positively filthy rich, or at least his family was. A stone path cut through an expansive green lawn that led to a white mansion, divided into two wings. 

Leeteuk led him through the door, and Baekhyun could smell success. The hallways were decorated with art and vases, valuables littered around like candy for him to take. 

“Could we have one more drink?” Baekhyun asked as they passed the dining room, “I’m getting thirsty.”

“Of course.” Leeteuk agreed, guiding him to a wooden lattice filled with bottles of wine, “Take your pick.’

Out of spite, Baekhyun wrapped his fingers around a bottle he recognized as an iconic vintage red from Paris. Ridiculously overpriced and difficult to replace. 

Leeteuk pulled out glasses for both of them, filling them and giving one to Baekhyun. Baekhyun took a miniscule sip, letting Leeteuk do the same before putting his glass down and placing a hand on the other man’s elbow. Leeteuk looked down at Baekhyun’s touch and placed his own wine on the counter behind him. 

Baekhyun’s fingers trailed up Leeteuk’s arm before coming to rest behind his ear. He stepped in close, pressing his lips softly to the other’s neck. He let Leeteuk guide his chin up to kiss him properly, responding enthusiastically to the other man’s lips. 

As one hand stayed attached to his partner, touching his neck and chest, the other moved discreetly to his pocket. A packet of white powder was waiting exactly where he’d left it. He pushed in closer to Leeteuk, opium in his palm as he leaned in to the countertop. With deft fingers he poured the drug into one of the glasses of wine, slipping the paper packaging back up into his sleeve once he was finished. 

Baekhyun let the kiss go on for another minute or two before he pulled away and grinned. He picked up both wine glasses and handed the drugged one to Leeteuk, taking a drink of alcohol for the first time tonight as he watched Leeteuk do the same. To his dismay, he didn’t drink very much, barely taking a sip before putting the cup back down. But the dose was large enough that it should still have a significant effect. It wouldn’t be long now. 

Leeteuk turned him around and hooked his chin over Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Go ahead. My bedroom is the second one on the right.”

Baekhyun led the way obediently, opening up the door to a large bedroom, lit only by the moon outside. Leeteuk followed closely behind him, holding both of the wine glasses in his hand. 

“This is expensive wine, you know.” He teased, “We should finish it.”

Baekhyun took the offered drink and drank it in one, hoping Leeteuk would follow his example and make his job a little easier. “There. Happy now?”

Leeteuk smiled and emptied his own glass, “Very.”

Baekhyun started to undo the button on his shirt, determined to get Leeteuk’s blood racing. The faster his heart beat, the faster the drug would get pumped into his system. As soon as he was shirtless, he latched onto Leeteuk’s mouth, lips parting in a sensual gasp. 

Leeteuk’s hands settled at his waist, staying there until he tapped Baekhyun’s thigh, prompting him to jump up and let Leeteuk carry him to the bed. 

Baekhyun settled back against the pillows, grateful for opportunity to lie down. Perhaps he hadn’t eaten enough today, because his head was starting to spin. He let Leeteuk take the lead as he waited for the lightheadedness to pass. 

Only it didn’t pass. A thread of panic was starting to bloom as he got increasingly dizzy, lethargy making his limbs feel heavy and stiff. He pulled away from Leeteuk, breaking their kiss as it became difficult to keep up. 

Leeteuk sat up, chuckling as he watched Baekhyun blink rapidly, trying desperately to keep his eyes open as fatigue settled deep into his bones. 

“Doesn’t feel nice, does it?” Leeteuk crawled off him and sat on the edge of the bed, “Being drugged. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson.”

Baekhyun grasped futilely at consciousness, knowing that he needed, needed to stay awake. He wanted to respond, but his lips just wouldn’t move. 

“Most of the boys you try to dupe are pretty far removed from criminals and thieves, so I understand why they didn’t recognize you. You should have done better research—I was a naval officer until six months ago. Did you know we’ve had a sketch of you for a while now? Some kid on _Thunder_ got a good, long look at you and drew a nice picture for us.” Leeteuk continued, standing up and retrieving a long, silk sash from his closet. “I’m afraid your time is up, Bluebird. Your crimes have caught up to you.”

The last thing Baekhyun felt before falling asleep was smooth, strong fabric wrapping tightly around his wrists.

* * *

“Captain Park.” 

Chanyeol looked up from the paperwork laid out in front of him to see an unfamiliar face at his doorway. The boy was wearing a private’s uniform and clutching a large, sealed envelope.

“You have a letter from Naval Headquarters, Sir.” 

Chanyeol held out his hand for the envelope, thanking the messenger and dismissing him with a nod. 

He slid a finger under the wax seal and pulled the letter out, unfolding it onto the desk. 

_Captain Park,_

_We have recently brought the man who we believe to be Byun Baekhyun, otherwise known as the Bluebird, into custody. Given your encounter with the pirate and his crew last year, your presence has been requested as a witness for his trial. Please make your way to Kingsport as quickly as possible for the trial date on April 17th. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter._

* * *

With trembling hands, Chanyeol put one hand on the Bible and rose the other to the square, “I swear that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

He refused to look at Baekhyun as he gave his testimony, recounting mechanically what had happened. 

“Do you bear witness that this man,” the attorney pointed to Baekhyun, “Was the person who boarded your vessel, held one of your crew ransom, and stole your cargo? ”

Chanyeol nodded. 

“I need verbal confirmation,” the attorney pressed, “Please take a careful look at the defendant and answer the question again. 

Chanyeol clenched his teeth and looked up. Baekhyun’s gaze was averted, his eyes sunken and tired. He looked thinner than Chanyeol remembered, and his delicate wrists were wrapped in metal shackles. 

He sucked in a deep breath, “That’s him. He’s the Bluebird.”

“Thank you, Captain Park.”

The jury was only gone for a few minutes. When they returned, the judge cleared his throat and reached up to adjust the wig on his head. 

“Byun Baekhyun you have been found guilty of the crimes of piracy, treason, theft, and coercion. The punishment for your wrongdoings is death.”

Chanyeol felt his stomach plummet through the floor. It wasn’t a surprise, but it still felt like a shock to hear the words out loud. His lungs felt compressed in his chest, and he had the horrible feeling that he might cry.

“I hereby sentence you to hang. Enforced tomorrow morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized while writing this chapter that this story has an unusual amount of Baekhyun kissing/almost kissing people a lot of people who are not Chanyeol for a story that is ostensibly about Baekhyun and Chanyeol :/
> 
> One more chapter to go! Let me know if you liked this one <3


	6. Wearied Seamen Rest

_The Ocean – Nathaniel Hawthorne_  
The Ocean has its silent caves,  
Deep, quiet, and alone;  
Though there be fury on the waves,  
Beneath them there is none. 

The awful spirits of the deep  
Hold their communion there;  
And there are those for whom we weep,  
The young the bright, the fair. 

Calmly the wearied seamen rest  
Beneath their own blue sea.  
The ocean solitudes are blest,  
For there is purity. 

_____ _

_____ _

The earth has guilt, the earth has care,  
Unquiet are its graves;  
But peaceful sleep is ever there,  
Beneath the dark blue waves. 

  
__  
Chanyeol couldn’t sleep.

He’d thought about this day a lot. When he’d first found out about Baekhyun’s new identity; after the attack on Thunder; after Baekhyun left him alone to return to piracy. Each time his conviction that Baekhyun deserved to stand trial for his crimes had been renewed. 

But now it was happening. And he couldn’t sleep.

With a sigh, he threw his blankets off his body and pulled his shoes onto his feet. He dragged a shirt over his head and strapped on his belt before he crept into the hallway, nervously checking both ways before stepping out and heading out towards the holding cells. 

Chanyeol wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but he needed to see Baekhyun. The scene from the courtroom kept flashing through his head, and he was fixated on the image of Baekhyun refusing to look at him, emotionless, as Chanyeol testified against him. He needed some kind of reaction: anger, acceptance, fear, anything. He wouldn’t have closure until he could replace the memory of Baekhyun’s blank stare with an actual emotion. 

The pathway between the main building and the smaller jail was inky black. Above him, the moon looked like the thin, white curve of a thumbnail, providing the barest hint of light to the darkened earth. As he approached, Chanyeol felt increasingly nervous. He couldn’t apologize to Baekhyun when he hadn’t actually done anything wrong, but what else was he supposed to do? He wasn’t even sure if the guards would let him in. 

When he was close enough to see the door of the jail, he felt panic grip his chest. What was he doing? Baekhyun was in there living out his last night on Earth, and Chanyeol was really planning on going inside and asking him how he felt about it? Nothing that he said or did was going to make this easier for Baekhyun. There was something profoundly wrong about making this about himself and his need for closure, but Chanyeol just couldn’t help himself. He needed to see Baekhyun, but suddenly he wasn’t sure if he had the courage to face him. 

Chanyeol veered off the path, slumping down against the base of a tree to gather his thoughts. He felt deeply conflicted as he tried to sort through his feelings. In his mind, he knew that this shouldn’t be so difficult. It had been almost a year since he’d last run into Baekhyun, and the encounter had only solidified the pirate’s status as a villain in his head. Baekhyun deserved justice. 

And yet. 

Baekhyun used to be his friend. Baekhyun could have been his lover, if they’d been given the chance. In his entire life, Chanyeol had never felt as deeply about anyone else. No one else could inspire the same passion, love, anger, and heartbreak. How could he give that up? How could he look Baekhyun in the eyes and deny those feelings? Chanyeol had always thought of himself as a man with convictions, but he was beginning to wonder if they were the right ones. If choosing justice over love was the right thing to do, then why did he feel so guilty about it?

The creak of a metal door surprised Chanyeol out of his thoughts. 

He squinted into the darkness, where he could make out the outline of the large, heavy door to the jail being pushed open. The silhouette of a short man appeared next, carefully pushing the door back into place before padding off of the path and into the tree line, heading directly for Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol’s heart pounded in his chest as he slid behind the tree, getting to his feet and pulling his pistol from the belt around his waist. Maybe it wasn’t Baekhyun. He couldn’t see clearly, maybe someone else was trying to make a run for it. 

The figure passed by without noticing him, moving further down the pathway. 

Chanyeol steeled himself and stepped out, aiming directly for the man’s back, “Put your hands up.”

The silhouette stopped and turned around, raising both hands into the air. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” 

It seemed fate wasn’t finished playing with them quite yet. 

Baekhyun’s head was bleeding, his hair matted to one side of his head and blood dripping down one side of his face. “What are you doing here, Chanyeol?” he snarled, dropping his hands to his sides, “What purpose could you possibly have for being out here in the middle of the night?”

“I was coming to say good-bye!” The hand holding his gun trembled, “What happened? Did you kill the guards?”

Baekhyun snorted, “I didn’t kill anybody. One of them got a little rowdy before I could knock him out, and he hit my head against the wall. Goddamn it, Chanyeol, what do you plan on doing now?”

The choice again. He was getting tired of making it. 

“I’m going to escort you back to your cell.” Chanyeol answered, setting his jaw firmly, “Put both hands behind your head and walk in front of me.”

“I won’t.” Baekhyun walked towards him, eyes trained on Chanyeol’s face, “You’re going to have to shoot me if you want to keep me from running.”

Baekhyun stepped into his space, pushing his chest right up against the barrel of the pistol, holding eye contact with Chanyeol with the whole time. “You won’t do it.” He challenged, “You’re a coward. You’ll tell the jury I deserve to die, but you won’t do it yourself.”

“How dare you?” Chanyeol cried, “How dare you call me a coward when I’m just trying to do what’s right? How can you call me that when the only thing I’ve ever seen you do is run? Run from your crimes. Run from me. You said we had to stay on the paths we chose, and here we are. I won’t kill you, but if you turn and run away, I’ll aim for your legs and drag you back to your cell myself.”

Baekhyun’s stare wavered as he searched Chanyeol’s face for any hint of hesitation. He found none. 

The weight of the moment seemed to fall on both of them as their anger cooled. For the first time, Chanyeol realized he had the upper hand. Until now, he always had an excuse for letting Baekhyun escape, but this time, he was the one holding the weapon. He had to take full responsibility for whatever came next. 

Baekhyun’s posture slumped, and the glare on his face melted into an expression that caught Chanyeol off guard. He looked hopeless. Profoundly sad and utterly resigned. 

“You can’t let them do this to me, Yeol.” His voice was thick with tears, and Chanyeol felt his heart break, “I understand what you have to do, but please just…”

He pushed in towards Chanyeol, and Chanyeol let him. Baekhyun rested his forehead against the taller man’s shoulder, clutching the gun between them to his chest. “Do you remember what I told you on _Thunder_ before we threw all those rifles into the ocean, Chanyeol? People deserve to be touched before they die. You can’t let me hang. I can’t go like that!” Baekhyun’s voice was turning hysterical, desperate, his tears soaking through the material of Chanyeol’s shirt, “Just pull the trigger and promise me you’ll bury me at sea.”

The choice again. His resolve was flagging.

Chanyeol felt his own tears start to fall. “That’s not how it works, Baekhyun. You don’t get to choose.”

“You used to love me, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun sobbed, “You can’t let me die swinging. Please.”

Baekhyun’s fingers wrapped around the trigger, but Chanyeol stopped him. “It’s not loaded, Baek.” He confessed, words hardly above a whisper, “I was bluffing; it’s not loaded.”  
Baekhyun pulled away from his shoulder, eyes wide with shock. Chanyeol cupped his face in his hands, “Just run. I won’t follow you. Run.”

The relief was immediate. Chanyeol knew he should feel guilty for giving in to his emotions, but it was liberating. For the first time, he felt like he was making the right decision.  
Baekhyun was overwhelmed. 

“I’m…” Baekhyun’s eyes squeezed shut as a fresh wave of tears assaulted him, “I’m so sorry for leaving you alone, Chanyeol. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for driving us here when there were other options, I just…” He clutched Chanyeol’s wrist in his hand, “I didn’t know what else to do. I still don’t know what to do.”

Chanyeol wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s shoulders and held him against his chest. “We made the choices we thought we had to. We made commitments we thought we had to keep. But I’m so tired of it, Baek, I’m tired of not choosing you.”

Baekhyun pulled away from his chest, eyes wide with surprise, “What are you saying?”

The choice. One more time. 

Chanyeol chewed his cheek nervously, “I don’t think… I’m not cut out to be a pirate. But you’ve already learned how to start a new life from scratch, and I would appreciate if you would show me how. I’m ready to follow you, if you’ll let me.”

And for the first time, they ran away together.

* * *

Chanyeol found Baekhyun where he usually did: at the docks, overseeing the changes being made to his ship. 

He walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s waist, resting his chin on the shorter boy’s head, “How are things going?”

Baekhyun gestured up at the main mast, where Ten was suspended in a rope harness that allowed him to hang over the side of the ship, where Yixing was holding a can of paint. They passed a large paintbrush back and forth, Ten writing on the wood and passing the brush back up to Yixing when it needed to be refilled. 

“We’re putting the new name on.” Baekhyun explained, “It’s the last step, and then we’ll be ready to start sailing again.”

“She looks nice.” Chanyeol commented, “Less ostentatious than before.”

Baekhyun scowled, “I can hardly recognize her. But I suppose that’s the point, now that you’re forcing me into making an honest living. I doubt anyone would hire us if she still had the massive wings and _El Dorado_ written across the side.”

Chanyeol smiled, burying his nose in Baekhyun’s sun-warm hair. Above them, Ten was hauling himself back up, finished with his task. The old name had been sanded off, and in its place was written _Lucky_ in black paint, still wet and glistening. It felt fitting, given how many times destiny had brought them together and given them another chance. 

Baekhyun turned around and grinned, going up on his tiptoes to peck Chanyeol’s lips, “You sure you’re ready to join my crew?” he teased, “It’s gonna be dangerous. I hear there’s pirates out on those waters.”

“I have a feeling you can protect me.” Chanyeol answered, “My brave Captain.”

Baekhyun’s eyes sparkled, “Oh, I like the sound of that. Call me that again.”

“Don’t make it weird.” Chanyeol complained, his ears going a little red, “I’m going to be calling you that daily when we set sail.”

“Please, Yeol.” Baekhyun purred, “Just one more time.”

Chanyeol bit his lip, thinking of what to say. 

“I’m ready to follow you anywhere. Captain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finished! Kind of. So, this chapter is the official ending of the story. However, I'm seriously considering writing an epilogue for you guys just cause... y'all deserve it. I think it would be valuable to add a snapshot of what life looks for these two after the events of the main story. 
> 
> I'm torn between two directions for the epilogue:  
> 1) Something real cute. Maybe a wedding at sea. Maybe a lil' fight and a make-up scene. Something like that.  
> 2) Uhhhhh- filth. So Baekhyun is Chanyeol's captain now. And he's a little into that. And I'm a little into that. And maybe you're a little into that.  
> Let me know what kind of scene you guys would prefer, because I'd really like to write the epilogue for YOU. Y'all have been super supportive and put up with a lot of angst. So let me know if you have something you want to see, and I'll try to have it up within a couple of weeks <3


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to the soft stans who were rooting for a wedding. I really tried to think of a way to meld the two ideas into one, but I just couldn't reconcile a bright marriage scene with the overall tone of the story. Hopefully, the cute lil' aftercare scene at the end will fill the void. 
> 
> Anyways, welcome to my sex dungeon.

“Tell me why you’re here.”

Chanyeol’s breath felt tight in his chest. Baekhyun had asked him to sit down, but the shorter man had stayed standing, circling him like a shark. The comparison made him feel self-conscious, like Baekhyun could hear his pounding heart. 

“You asked me to come to your cabin after dinner.” Chanyeol answered, knowing full well that was the wrong answer. He knew exactly what was going on, they’d talked about this just a few days ago. It had taken every ounce of courage inside of him to tell Baekhyun what he wanted, but his lover had been more than willing to oblige. 

He had a thing for praise that was just undeniable. Baekhyun had picked up on it the very first time that they slept together and capitalized on it ever since. Chanyeol liked to be told that he was doing well. That he was good. But there was a squirmy feeling in his stomach that made him feel like maybe he wanted to earn his praise. Maybe he wanted to start out bad and work his way up to good. 

It made him blush just thinking about it, but he trusted Baekhyun. He knew that his partner would never judge his preferences or belittle his desires. 

Chanyeol heard Baekhyun pause behind him, the distinct click of his boots coming to a stop. Slender fingers wound into his hair, caressing his neck before sharply pulling his head back. Sparks flew down Chanyeol’s spine at the sudden burst of pain from his scalp, a shudder quaking through his whole body. 

“Don’t play dumb.” Baekhyun hissed, “Why are you here?”

“I didn’t listen.” Chanyeol gasped, “You asked me to wear your shirt this morning, and I didn’t do it.”

Baekhyun’s grip on his hair relaxed and Chanyeol felt him lean in close, speaking directly into his ear, “Remember to tell me to stop if it gets to be too much, okay baby? We’re playing. Tell me if it’s not fun anymore.”

Warmth settled into Chanyeol’s stomach, the edge of nervousness disappearing as Baekhyun reassured him. He nodded slightly, indicating that he’d heard Baekhyun and understood him. 

Baekhyun moved away, circling back to the front of Chanyeol’s chair, “Why didn’t you listen?”

“It’s too tight.” Chanyeol admitted, “People can see through it.”

Baekhyun clicked his tongue, “That’s why I like it. I wanted to show everybody what a good little whore you are.”

Another shot of electricity zinged through Chanyeol, sharp and arousing. The static in his mind was starting to build as his surrounding faded away and he fixated on Baekhyun. 

“But it turns out you can’t even be good.”

He was slipping fast; falling into the simple place that he went when the only thing he wanted was to make Baekhyun happy. It had never happened this quickly before. 

He kept his eyes trained on the floor as he answered, “I’m sorry, Baek.”

Swift and shocking, Baekhyun hand slapped over his mouth, sealing it shut. 

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he looked up at Baekhyun, who was suddenly inches from his face. Baekhyun’s eyes were heavily rimmed with kohl, dark and powerful as he stared Chanyeol down, forcing him to shrink backwards at the intensity of Baekhyun’s gaze.

“That’s not what you call me.” Baekhyun sneered.

The weak grip Chanyeol had on normalcy slipped between his fingers, and he let himself sink fully into the fuzzy feeling in his head. He felt a strange mixture of guilty and relieved, knowing that he’d misbehaved but that Baekhyun was going to take care of it. “I’m sorry, Captain,” he corrected himself as soon as Baekhyun pulled his hand away. 

“That’s better.” Baekhyun lightly held his chin in his hand, brushing Chanyeol’s bottom lip with thumb, “You’ve been awfully bad, Yeol, but we can fix that. You’re going to show me, aren’t you? You’re going to show me you can do better.”

Chanyeol nodded frantically, eager to prove himself. 

“Take off your shirt and go lay on the bed.”

Chanyeol did as he was told, folding up his shirt before putting it aside, hoping Baekhyun might notice how tidy and careful he was being. 

Baekhyun joined him on the bed with a black sash in his hand. He straddled Chanyeol’s chest and raised an eyebrow at him, “Prop your head up, baby.”

Chanyeol pulled away from the pillow, saliva pooling in his mouth when Baekhyun wrapped the fabric around his eyes and tied it tightly behind his head. With his vision gone, he was becoming hyper aware of the sensations on his skin. Soft fabric brushing his cheekbones. The comforter pressed against his back. Baekhyun’s thighs squeezing his ribcage. 

He whimpered when Baekhyun climbed off of him, missing his presence immediately. A hand ran through his hair comfortingly before he heard Baekhyun walk away to the other side of the room. He licked his lips nervously but tried to be patient. Baekhyun wouldn’t just leave him here. 

Soon enough, Baekhyun approached him again. Chanyeol furrowed his brows as he felt an unusual heat next to his cheek. The air thickened with the scent of perfume, fragrant and sweet. 

“Tell me what you feel, Yeol.”

“It’s hot.” Chanyeol responded, “A candle. I can smell it.”

Baekhyun hummed in approval, “That’s right. Do you know why I brought it over here?”

Chanyeol had a pretty good idea, but before he could respond, he gasped as he felt pain erupt near his belly button, burning hot before it quickly dulled. The wax rolled down his side before it began to congeal, forming a thin skin that felt tight against his stomach. 

“You wanted to cover yourself up, so let’s do it together.” Baekhyun explained, letting another blob of wax fall onto Chanyeol’s sternum, “I’ve always liked your chest, but if you don’t want to show it off, I guess this will work.”

Chanyeol squirmed, panting as Baekhyun let a stream of wax fall next to his shoulder, pooling in his collarbone and running down onto the sheets. The pain was fleeting, hardly there before it dulled to a muffled throb. He tensed when another sensation hit his skin before realizing that it wasn’t more wax, but Baekhyun’s hand skidding over his hip before moving downwards to cup him through his trousers. 

Chanyeol blushed bright red when Baekhyun chuckled. “Damn, what’s this for?” Baekhyun asked, rubbing his erection with his palm, “You’re being disciplined. I’m not sure if you should like it this much.”

Another thin stream of wax fell onto his chest, barely missing one of his nipples. Chanyeol keened and bucked up against Baekhyun’s hand, his fists balling up at his sides.

Baekhyun squeezed his bulge just a little too hard, making Chanyeol gasp. “Be good for me, Yeol. Keep those hips down.”

Chanyeol pulled his bottom lip into his mouth, working it between his teeth as he nodded. He felt unbearably tight, like just a word from Baekhyun could snap him right in half. The drying wax on his chest added to the sensation that his skin was stretched taught over his muscles, barely holding him together. 

He heard a click on the bedside table next to him, signaling Baekhyun setting down the candle. Chanyeol’s breath stuttered through his teeth, as Baekhyun started to undue his pants, pulling his cock out of its confines and wrapping his fist around it. Although he was already wearing a blindfold, Chanyeol clenched his eyes shut tight as Baekhyun started to stroke him, quickly building up speed and pressure. 

Baekhyun worked him up relentlessly, until Chanyeol was digging crescents into his palms to keep himself grounded. 

“I’m too close.” Chanyeol choked out, “Baek, I’m too close.”

Baekhyun’s hand slowed, “Do you want me to stop?”

“No! No, please…”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Baekhyun’s thumb rubbed slow circles over the tip of his cock, making Chanyeol squirm in a combination of arousal and discomfort. 

“I…” Chanyeol burned with embarrassment, feeling himself flush from his ears all the way down his neck, “Can I?”

The pace was picking up again, and Chanyeol had to grit his teeth to keep from surrendering to the feeling balling up in his stomach, coiling tighter and tighter. 

“You’re asking for permission?” Baekhyun cooed, “That’s adorable.”

Chanyeol wanted to wait he really did, but it felt like he was about to burst. Baekhyun’s fingers were tight and warm around him, slippery with precum and coated in hardened dribbles of wax. It was filthy and wonderful, and way, way too much. 

His body went rigid, and Baekhyun’s hand closed like a vice around the base of his cock. Chanyeol cried out as the tension snapped in his gut, but there was no release, a convulsion shivering down his torso as the force of his orgasm ricocheted through him with nowhere to go. 

Baekhyun’s fingers stayed firm around him, as Chanyeol rutted minutely against his unforgiving grip. Frustrated tears leaked from the corners of Chanyeol’s eyes, wetting the fabric that covered them. He felt Baekhyun lean over him, pressing their chests together so he could speak directly into Chanyeol’s ear, “It’s so cute that you thought I would say yes.”  
Baekhyun reached behind his head and tugged out the knot on the blindfold, lifting it away from Chanyeol’s face. Chanyeol tried to quickly blink the tears out of his eyes, but Baekhyun was already wiping them away tenderly before his hands settled at Chanyeol’s ears, cupping them as he idly ran his thumbs over the tips. 

“You’re a mess, Yeol.” Baekhyun told him, eyes dragging down his wax-covered torso to his leaking cock. He looked beautiful, hovering above Chanyeol’s chest, still fully clothed, eyeliner smudged with sweat. 

It felt like any air left in the room was promptly sucked out as Chanyeol watched Baekhyun sit back onto his heels and touch himself through his pants. He groaned and tilted his head back theatrically, exposing his neck in a delicate arc. Baekhyun was putting on a show, and it was positively obscene. 

“You’ve got me all worked up.” Baekhyun commented, as if that wasn’t obvious, “Don’t move. Don’t touch.”

A high whine worked its way out of Chanyeol’s throat, but he obediently folded his arms behind his back and clutched at his ribs. His end goal shone like a beacon just out of his reach. He wanted to be Baekhyun’s good boy again. He wanted to prove it. He wanted to listen. Perfectly. 

Baekhyun smiled at him when Chanyeol tucked his arms behind him, and Chanyeol felt sparks explode in his chest. 

Watching Baekhyun get himself off was painfully arousing. His hand moved purposefully over his own dick, occasionally leaning backwards to let Chanyeol’s cock brush against his plush ass. When he finally made himself cum, Chanyeol had to squeeze his eyes shut as his lover doubled over in pleasure, shooting spurts of cum across Chanyeol’s torso. It was too much to watch when he was already achingly hard. 

Chanyeol waited anxiously as Baekhyun came down from his orgasm, practically vibrating with anticipation of what was going to come next. 

Once he’d composed himself, Baekhyun pushed his hair out of his eyes and slid down to the bottom of the bed and settled between Chanyeol’s legs. He pressed a kiss to Chanyeol’s inner thigh, and the taller boy jolted at the soft touch against his hypersensitive body. 

“You’ve been so good for me, Yeol.” Baekhyun purred, moving up a little to kiss his hip, “I’m impressed. You deserve a reward.”

Baekhyun licked a slow stripe from the base of his cock to the tip, “You can cum whenever you’re ready, sweetheart.”

Baekhyun’s wet mouth closed around him, and Chanyeol sobbed as the heat inside him burned impossibly hotter. He’d been holding on so long that it was difficult to let go, the pressure in his gut building and building but refusing to burst. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself, scratching his sides, as Baekhyun suckled on the head of his dick, peering up at him expectantly through his lashes. 

White, scalding pleasure seared through him as soon as he made eye contact with Baekhyun, his back bowing dramatically as he finally came. A silent scream formed on his lips before turning into tight gasps as Baekhyun worked him through his orgasm. Each spurt bordered on painful as he released into Baekhyun’s mouth, and every thread keeping him together seemed to unspool until Chanyeol was just floating, falling apart until he was just air. 

Emptiness eventually filled up again with sensation, and Chanyeol gradually became aware of his surroundings. He was still on the bed, sweaty and tired as Baekhyun’s fingers peeled the dried wax away from his chest. He watched dreamily as Baekhyun would remove a piece, and then kiss the skin beneath. Baekhyun’s lips felt dry against the slightly reddened patches, and he lingered at each one. 

“Are you back?” he asked when he noticed Chanyeol watching him, “How are you feeling?”

Chanyeol just hummed in response, too foggy to come up with a real answer. Baekhyun smiled and returned to his task. Now that he knew Chanyeol was listening, he muttered to him as he worked, “You did so well. You were so pretty for me, Yeol. I love you so much. You were so good.”

Happiness seemed to swell in Chanyeol like a balloon as Baekhyun cleaned him up and filled the air with sweet nothings. Outside, the waves lapped placidly at the sides of the boat, and Chanyeol felt the same serenity wash over him. He had worried before that he might feel embarrassed after they played out his fantasy, but he felt nothing but contentment as Baekhyun tenderly brought him back down to earth. 

Once the wax was disposed of, Baekhyun dragged a blanket over both of them and pulled Chanyeol’s head onto his chest, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and using the other one to pet his hair. Like a cat, Chanyeol preened at the attention, turning to bury his nose in Baekhyun’s shoulder and squeeze himself against his side. 

“I love you.” He muttered into Baekhyun’s shirt, already starting to doze off, “Thank you.”

In the hazy awareness between waking and sleep, he heard Baekhyun’s response. 

A kiss against his hair. “I love you too, Yeol.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's becoming increasingly obvious that I have some kind of eyeliner kink. Along with all the other ones.
> 
> Thank you for reading and supporting this fic! I appreciate all of you.


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